When adding fruit trees to your garden, fast-growing varieties can be an excellent choice, allowing you to enjoy delicious fruits sooner. While many trees take several years to become established and begin producing fruit, some self-fruitful trees can start bearing fruit as early as two or three years. These trees do not require cross-pollination or pollinators, making them a convenient option for gardeners who want a quicker harvest.
If you are shopping for trees, it is important to select the right fruit trees for your space. Some varieties mature faster than others, and by choosing the right one, you can enjoy vibrant trees in your outdoor garden that provide both shade and beauty. Fast-growing fruit trees elevate the landscape and offer the satisfaction of watching your efforts turn into fruits your family can savour and relish.
Also, read my guide on:
Planting Fruit Trees: When and How to Do It Right
20 Best Fast Growing Fruit Trees
Raspberry
Raspberries are a fast-growing fruit tree that thrives in USDA hardiness zones 3-9. They can reach a height of 4-6 feet and produce delicious fruits in just 2 years, making them a great choice for gardeners looking for quick results. Raspberries come in various colours, including red, dark red, and golden. They are loved by bees, pollinators, and fruit-eating birds, adding life to your garden. The plants require maintenance, like pruning the canes to keep the raspberry patch neat and to improve air circulation, which helps prevent powdery mildew. These sweet berries are a healthy snack for humans and serve as a great wildlife food.
Columnar Apple
Columnar apple trees are an ideal choice for those with limited space. These upright trees are perfect for small gardens or urban landscapes and provide full-sized apples with minimal pruning. Varieties like Granny Smiths and Honeycrisps are known for their rapid growth and fruit production, offering visual appeal through their spring blossoms and lush foliage. Columnar apples can reach heights up to 10 feet, making them suitable for tight spaces while providing a substantial harvest of delicious apples for your family.
Banana Tree
A banana tree is a great choice for those living in a warm climate. With rapid growth and lush foliage, these trees add beauty to your garden and produce sweet fruits in a short time frame. Under optimal conditions, including well-draining soil, sunlight, and consistent water and fertilization, a banana tree can thrive and produce fruit in one to two years. They can withstand harsh winds with proper protection, making them a rewarding addition for those looking to enjoy homegrown bananas quickly.
Black Cherry Tree
The black cherry tree is another fast-growing option, especially for those in growing zones 2-8. These trees can begin to bear fruit in just 2-3 years, much faster than the typical sweet cherries, which can take 5-7 years. Black cherry trees are self-fruitful, meaning they don’t need another tree nearby to produce fruit, making them an easy addition to your garden. While these trees can grow quite tall, reaching 50 to 80 feet with a 30- to 60-foot spread, they are also known for their stunning white blossoms in spring. With proper care, these trees can produce fruit for up to 170 years, providing a long-lasting source of fresh cherries.
Citrus Trees
Citrus trees are an excellent option if you live in regions like California, the southwestern United States, Florida, or Alabama. These trees, including orange, clementine, lemon, and kumquat, thrive in zones 8 to 11. Citrus trees need 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily to grow and produce fruit. You can expect fruit-bearing within 3 to 6 years, depending on the variety. While regular citrus trees can reach a mature size of 20 feet tall, dwarf varieties are available for smaller spaces, growing to only 10 feet tall and can be grown in pots.
Fig Trees
Fig trees are another fast-growing option, especially when choosing Celeste or sugar figs, which are known for their quick-producing fruit. These trees can start producing fresh figs in the first year of planting. The high yields of sweet fruit make figs perfect for various uses. You can eat them raw, bake them, or even use them for grilling and desserts. For those in colder climates (zones 6-9), fig trees can still thrive by growing in containers and being moved indoors during winter to keep them safe from the cold.
Mango Trees
Mango trees are a fantastic option if you’re looking for a tropical delight that grows quickly. While mango trees can become huge, the Ice Cream mango tree offers a more practical solution with its dwarf size. These compact trees are perfect for constrained spaces like small gardens or urban environments. They thrive in containers and produce medium to large-sized fruits with a smooth texture and a rich flavour that resembles vanilla ice cream. Mangoes are known for their creamy sweetness, making them a delicious addition to your garden and a great conversation starter due to their attractive foliage.
Mulberry Trees
Mulberry trees are another great choice for those looking to plant fast-producing fruit trees. These trees come in varieties like white mulberry, red mulberry, and black mulberry and can grow about 2.5 feet per year. Although mulberry trees can take around 8-10 years to bear fruit from seed, they are self-pollinating or cross-pollinating depending on the variety, and they produce an abundant harvest in late summer. With their large canopy, mulberry trees provide shade and make an excellent addition to any garden, reaching heights of about 12 feet within three years.
Pawpaw Trees
Pawpaw trees offer a unique fruit with a tropical flavour that is perfect for those who want to grow something different in their garden. Native to North America, pawpaw trees are known for their fast-maturing nature. They thrive in various soil conditions and are great for small spaces. These trees produce large fruits with a custard-like texture and a sweet flavour similar to bananas and mango. With their exotic fruits and attractive foliage, pawpaw trees are a wonderful addition to any garden, making them a keeper for gardeners looking to add something special.
Peach Trees
Peach trees are another fantastic option for those looking for fast-growing fruit trees. These trees thrive in growing zones 4-9, with some varieties being cold-hardy enough for zones 6-8. Peach trees can start bearing fruit in just 2-4 years, depending on the rootstock and whether they are self-fruitful or cross-pollinating. They need well-draining, loamy soil and should not be waterlogged. Standard peach trees can grow up to 25 feet tall, but with proper pruning, they can be kept at a more manageable height of 12-15 feet tall. Peach trees will thrive with 6 hours of direct sunlight daily and provide delicious, juicy fruit.
Pear Trees
Pear trees are a great option for those looking for fast-growing fruit trees. They thrive in USDA hardiness zones 5-9 and can reach a height of 8-20 feet. Pear trees can begin producing fruit within 2-5 years, making them a great choice for gardeners who want quick results. The fruit, typically harvested between July and September, has a crunchy and sweet texture, similar to an apple, but with a pear-like taste. Some varieties, like the Asian pear, are self-pollinating, while others benefit from cross-pollination for a larger fruit crop. For smaller spaces, dwarf varieties that reach 8-15 feet are available, making them perfect for any garden.
Pomegranate Trees
Pomegranate trees are another excellent choice for a fast-growing fruit tree. Known for their large, vibrant red fruits, they are great for juicing, snacking, or adding to salads. Pomegranate trees are packed with antioxidants, which provide numerous health benefits, including promoting heart health and reducing inflammation. The Kazake pomegranate tree, a compact tree, grows quickly and is perfect for cramped spaces. These trees require minimal pruning and produce tangy sweetness in their fruits. A great addition to any garden, pomegranates are both delicious and nutritious.
Guava Trees
Guava trees are evergreen and thrive in warmer regions with zones 9 to 11. These trees produce sweet, tangy pink fruit with a pink center and green outer layer. Guava trees can grow to a mature size of 5 to 6 feet tall, though larger varieties can reach up to 30 feet. Guava trees require 8 to 10 hours of full, direct sunlight for the best growth and typically begin fruit-bearing in 2 to 4 years. These trees are an excellent choice for gardens in warm climates where space can accommodate their full size.
Avocado Trees
Avocado trees are another fantastic option for fast-growing fruit trees. These trees are known for their nutritious fruits, perfect for guacamole or toast. Avocado trees need sun and regular watering, especially in zones 9 to 11. They can reach a mature size of 15 to 20 feet tall when planted in the ground or 6 to 10 feet in pots. The fruit bearing time is impressively short—just 1 to 2 years if the tree is grafted. Perfect for both large gardens and container growing, these trees provide fresh, creamy avocados in a short period.
Grapes
Grapes are an excellent choice for those looking for fast-growing fruit trees. These fruiting vines thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 10 and can grow to 6 to 12 feet. They typically start producing fruit within 2 to 3 years. For the best results, ensure the vines have plenty of air circulation and sunlight; they need these to grow strong and produce fully ripe grapes by summer. Grapes like Muscadines are especially known for their robust growth and can be grown in sunny garden locations. These vines need a sturdy trellis or arbour to support them as they grow. While growing grapes require some pruning and attention to pests and diseases, they reward you with delicious and interesting fruit.
Blueberries
Blueberries are another fantastic fast-growing fruit tree option, especially for smaller spaces. These plants grow well in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9, and they can grow anywhere from 1 to 10 feet tall with proper care. Blueberry plants typically begin producing fruit after 3 years, and you can expect a harvest of dark purple-blue berries in summer. They thrive in full sun or light afternoon shade and require acidic soil with a pH between 5 and 6. For the best crop, plant at least two varieties for cross-pollination, which helps increase the abundance of fruit. These plants are a tasty treat and a great addition to an edible landscape, providing fresh berries for snacking or baking.
Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit is a stunning and fast-growing fruit tree that thrives in USDA zones 10 to 11. This type of cactus grows quickly and can reach a mature size of 10 to 15 feet tall in the ground or 5 to 6 feet in pots. To flourish, dragon fruit requires 6 to 8 hours of full direct sunlight each day. With the right support from a trellis, these plants can produce their beautiful fruits within 2 to 3 years. The fruit is visually appealing and delicious and can be used in various recipes, including juices and desserts. Growing dragon fruit can be a rewarding experience for gardeners who enjoy tropical plants.
Passion Fruit
Another great option for a fast-growing fruit tree is passion fruit. This vine produces aromatic fruits that are a favourite in juices and desserts. It grows well in USDA zones 9 to 11, reaching heights 10 to 15 feet tall when planted in the ground or 6 to 8 feet in pots. Like dragon fruit, passion fruit requires 6 to 8 hours of full direct sunlight for optimal growth. It typically starts bearing fruit within 1 to 3 years, making it an ideal choice for those who want quick results. The vines benefit from support as they climb, creating an attractive, fruitful addition to your garden.
Blackberry
Growing blackberries is easy; they can thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-10. These plants usually grow to a height of 4-6 feet and begin producing fruit in just 2 years. They can be harvested in summer when the fruit is uniformly black and ready to eat. While they can spread and sprawl, creating a bit of a mess, they are great for gardeners with some space to spare. Blackberries can grow upright or as trailing vines, making them perfect for use with a trellis to keep them in shape. Depending on your preference, there are both thorny and thornless varieties, which make berry picking easier and more enjoyable. With proper pruning, they provide a steady supply of delicious fruit.
Goji Berry
The Goji berry plant is another fast-growing fruit tree that offers health benefits with its sweet red berries. These plants, known as superfoods, thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9 and grow well with 6 to 8 hours of full direct sunlight daily. Typically reaching 6 to 8 feet tall, they produce fruit in 1 to 2 years. Goji berries are easy to grow in the garden or can be grown in pots with limited space. The small berries are packed with nutrients, making them popular for those looking to add a healthy, fast-growing fruit to their landscape.
Final Observations
Fast-growing fruit trees are a great choice for gardeners looking to quickly enjoy fresh, homegrown fruit. Trees like blackberries, raspberries, and grapes can start producing fruit in just a few years, while peaches, mangoes, and blueberries offer a quicker harvest. For smaller spaces, columnar apple trees and dwarf varieties are perfect. These trees provide delicious fruits and add beauty and shade to your garden, making them a rewarding choice for any landscape.
FAQs
Q- What fruit tree is the fastest growing?
The fastest growing fruit tree is typically the banana tree.
Q- What is the fastest fruit to grow?
The fastest growing fruit is the raspberry, which can produce fruit in as little as 2 years.
Q- What is the easiest fruit tree to grow?
The easiest fruit tree to grow is often the apple tree, especially varieties like columnar apples.
Q- Which fruit is best in summer?
The best fruit in summer includes watermelon, peach, and mango for their refreshing, juicy flavours.
